Storytelling in advertising is a broad topic, but let’s dig it on video marketing example. Its volume on the Internet increases dramatically year by year. But where TV ad can do with a simple list of benefits and PR-ish ‘outreach’ – Internet ad will have to stand out because no one will watch a boring video nowadays.
Storytelling is the answer (and content marketing of course).
Outline
What is it though?
Storytelling in advertising – is a way to deliver a message through a story (duh) which appeal to emotions
What are the ingredients of storytelling consist?
You don’t need to read tons of scriptwriting books to come up with good stories. It is enough to know the main features:
- Character
- Conflict
It seems too easy, huh?. Each of these bullet points requires its article to cover the thin in depth. Let’s dig into it in some broad sense though.
Character
The story must be a character-centric. It is with him that the viewer will associate himself. The portrait must be relatable. He must have similar problems, similar flaws. Thanks to such relation, the life experience accumulated by the character transferred to the viewer.
The person doesn’t always have to be a person per se. It can be an animal or an inanimate object. But what makes the viewer identify himself with the character? What makes the story rolling?
Conflict
Conflict is the driving force behind any history. No conflict means no development and no tory. If the character does nothing, no one will empathize with him.
The study of hero myth narratives started in 1871 with Edward Burnett Tylor’s observations of common patterns in plots of heroes’ journeys. Originally journey’s stages called Departure, Initiation and Return.
For the sake of our discussion, I’d simplify them and call just Setup, Confrontation, and Resolution.
Setup (of the location and characters)
The main focus of the company’s “The family’s father.” His problem is to make his daughter an intriguing Christmas present. Surprise and please children is a common goal for all good fathers.
Confrontation (with an obstacle, issue, or significant disruption)
In the case of our example – the father goes on a long journey to find a gift for his daughter. Three Mobile is a web-based, so, being very far away from home, the father can still be with his daughter.
Resolution (with a climax and resolution of the issue)
In our example, the father is back from the journey and making his daughter an unordinary gift – a cloud. In the final scene, we see a home, a family, their little cloud and the Three Mobile logo. The point is straightforward – Three Mobile will help you make a gift for your family.
Why is history stronger than facts?
As humans, we created so that we react more to the story of a particular person than to cold facts. It’s the primary thing of our mind, and it’s not going away.
What is this about? Identity is at the heart of perception. It is easier to put yourself in another person’s shoes than to identify with a naked set of facts or a group of individuals (tho it works as well). The story of one particular incident will always cause a more significant impact than a dull story.
It is the ability to identify ourselves with another person that makes us watch movies and TV series, donate money for charity, read books and discuss news. Now you understand why history is stronger than any facts.
Now, notice, it doesn’t matter whether the person we identify ourselves with is real or not. It can be a famous actor, or a girl next door – the perception always works the same way. Turn on fantasy, find a hero for your story.
Emotional Triggers
These are the main emotions and emotions that are known to any human being. Emotional triggers help you set the direction for history. Don’t be discarded. If you want to create a strong character and clinging conflict, use emotional triggers:
- Love
- Power
- Family and its values (as our example with Three Mobile)
- Superiority
- Admiration for the new
- Control
- Pleasure
- Personal growth (self-development)
- Wishes that come true
- Care & attention
- Limited time
- Patriotism and feeling of belonging